Letter to Nepal Army about Animal Sacrifices

'As tourists are abhorred by such practices, the festivals will have an
adverse effect on tourism, an industry which provides the country with
much-needed financial returns'

FROM: Animal Welfare Network Nepal

TO: Chief of Army Staff
Army Head Quarters Kathmandu

Kathmandu, March 15, 2010

Dear General Chhatraman Singh Gurung,

The members of the Animal Welfare Network Nepal respectfully ask you to do
everything within your power to permanently cancel blood sacrifices conducted by
the Nepal Army, starting this Chaite Dasain.

Safeguarding democracy, promoting peace, protecting the lives of the
country’s citizens and acceleration of development are some of key
responsibilities of the Nepal Army. Outdated practices based on superstition
which deplete the resources of the poor we trust are not part of your mandate.

Nevertheless the Nepal Army is one of the key implementers of animal
sacrifice, a practice that promotes superstition and violence, drains the poor
and prevents Nepal from becoming a truly advanced country.

No one can adequately explain why these practices are carried out year after
year – except to say they are ‘traditional’. This however is not a valuable
argument to commence these practices; Nepal, realizing the adverse effects, has
abolished a number of ‘traditions’ in the past, including human sacrifice and
widow burning.

It could be that our martial ancestors, while unifying the country and
fighting invaders, had to harden their hearts. It may be a part of our tradition
that the khukuri wielded in the battlefields first had to draw the blood of
sacrificial animals. However, our enemies today are not demons. It is
superstition, fatalism, poverty and social inequity that plagues our society. We
will defeat and overcome these ills by being more humane and caring ourselves,
by showing civilized behaviour. Decapitating a bleating buffalo or goat should
not be the symbol of the Nepali civilisation.

We feel the time has come to abolish the above practice for the following
reasons:

1. Violent impact - Cruelty against animals harms society as a whole; it
signals and normalizes insensitivity in children who can become numb to the
suffering of living beings, it is also known to influence certain people to
commit violence on other humans. Now that the armed conflict has ended Nepal
needs peaceful practices that educate the next generation for a harmonious
society.

2. Vested interests strengthened - Sacrifices often strengthen the vested
interest of those who benefit from superstition-based beliefs and rituals. As
Nepal is moving ahead to become a more fully democratic, egalitarian society, it
is crucial to challenge age-old beliefs which are not beneficial and drain the
resources of the poor and needy.

3. There are alternatives – National and international religious leaders with
massive following in Nepal have proposed fruits and vegetables in place of
animal sacrifice. This is the right time to address the controversial issue of
animal sacrifice and show that the Nepal Army indeed is a progressive force in
society.

4. Adverse impact on tourism - As tourists are abhorred by such practices,
the festivals will have an adverse effect on tourism, an industry which provides
the country with much-needed financial returns. Those foreigners who experience
or come to know the extent of sacrifice in this country leave Nepal confused and
with a heavy heart, rather than uplifted by its paradoxical beauty and
friendliness.

5. Danger of widespread human disease – Unregulated sacrifice of large
numbers of animals creates a health risks for humans. Due to the fact that the
transport, killing, disposal and preparation of the animals and their meat goes
unmonitored and the close proximity between humans and animals, there is an
increased danger of zoonosis including bird and swine flu outbreaks.

We urge you to end the violent practices at this Chaite Dasain and all
festivals to come and help Nepal move towards a truly peaceful country, and in
keeping with its international image.

We trust that you will support these measures, which are becoming more
popular by the day around the globe and promote non-violent cultural practices
in Nepal.

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